Service Brakes Problems of Chevrolet Colorado - part 1

This is the fifth vehicle with the 2. 5l engine that has experienced vacuum pump failure resulting in a broken exhaust camshaft. Without warning, drivers have experienced a complete loss of brake function as a result of the vacuum pump failure.

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I have experienced brake failure twice while driving my 2023 Chevrolet Colorado. When the failure occurs, the dashboard displays multiple warnings, including “service traction control,” “service power steering drive with care,” and “no assist soon. ” when these messages appear, the steering becomes extremely stiff, the brakes lose stopping power, and the vehicle becomes very difficult to control. The first incident happened around April 2024, and the dealer performed a software update. The issue happened again around October 2024 at approximately 24,000 miles. The vehicle is primarily used on highways and has no modifications. This is a serious safety concern. The combination of brake loss and power steering failure could result in loss of control, crash, injury, or death. There was no warning before the failures occurred. The dealer cannot confirm a permanent fix. This problem needs to be investigated for a potential recall. This vehicle is now unsafe and unreliable. I refuse to transport my family in it. I am seeking a full refund/buyback, as multiple safety system failures are unacceptable and dangerous.

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Today while driving my brakes got super hard. Had to use my entire weight to get it to stop and still was moving forward. Had to use the emergency brakes and a prayer. Luckily I wasn’t on the highway or it would’ve been a deadly accident. When I opened the hood the camshaft sensor was broken loose. Mind you I had taken the truck to the dealer a while back for a rattling noise at 1500 rpm and they couldn't figure out the issue. They replace the catalytic converter under warranty. But kept making the same noise around the same rpm. Obviously it wasn't the converter. My truck has 43,136 miles only. 2021 Colorado 2. 5 luckily I’m alive today but this must be taken care of as soon as possible. I read a lot of Colorado’s seem to have the same issues. Needs a recall.

I was on my way home from work and I was on highway 16 in washington state near port orchard and I was driving 64mph and all vehicles in front of me were all breaking slowing down pretty fast and when I pressed down on my brakes the brakes were totally stiff I could not stop and had to drive on the side of the road and passed 20 plus cars and was finally able to come to a stop. If I had no where to go I would’ve hit the car in front of me at a high rate of speed potentially causing a major or deadly accident. They were working fine 5 minutes before that. I think it is a major issue that will cause fatalities in the future if this problem isn’t taken care of. I’ve never had a vehicle do this and I’ve been driving for 38 years.

Happened twice now while driving, power steering suddenly lost and two messages on dash: loss of power steering and stabilitrak. Pulled over and turned off ignition. When restarted all errors automatically cleared and systems appear to be functioning correctly. Steering without power assist is very difficult and high safety concern at low speed driving.

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Intermittent break failure service dealer could not duplicate contacted GMC they say call back if it happens again.

At engine start up there were two warnings that came up on info screen. "service front brake monitor" and "front brake pads low". Just before this incident the monitor showed front pads at 82% brake life and the rear pads at 84%. Upon my own inspection the driver side front brake pads are worn significantly more than the passenger side. Front brakes are also squealing when coming to a stop. Chevrolet dealership inspection/repair scheduled for 9/22/25.

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I have had 3 separate occasions where the automatic emergency braking has engaged with nothing in front to trigger it. Each time was one a busy section of road, two of those times I had traffic behind me nearly causing an accident.

Many warning lights are on for traction control, abs , brakes service esc, trailer braking and the adaptive cruise control system is not working, it was reported to the dealer, they checked it said bad battery, they coded it out said it is fine now on 9/5/25. It’s back at the dealer with all the same warnings on again.

On the day of purchase, while driving on a freeway, the vehicle would not accelerate. The rpm's went up, the engine revved, but the vehicle acted as if it was in neutral. These vehicles will not accelerate if they think the brake pedal is also being pressed. The brake was not being depressed. As I was pulling the vehicle to the side of the road, suddenly it allowed me to accelerate again, and I continued with no further issues. One week later, with fewer than 200 miles on the vehicle, upon starting the dashboard showed alerts to service esc, service brake assist, service trailer brake system. The abs and traction control lights also came on. These are all systems designed to prevent loss of control, and all failed without warning. A dealer service center diagnosed this as a known problem with a faulty master cylinder, on several models built over a period of several months.

Last Wednesday evening I purchased a 2025 Chevrolet Colorado zr2 midnight edition from preston hood Chevrolet in crestview, florida. I had been waiting to see this truck for a couple days as it was listed on their website. They said it was in service but when I asked why they did not tell me. When I went to the dealership to buy it I asked again why it had been in service and the salesman said he did not know but he said this truck has a lot of accessories they had to put on it. I drove the truck home, and then to work the next day and in my way home the brake system completely failed. I kept pushing fully on the brakes and it kept going and took quite some time to stop. I noticed multiple brake warnings and was stranded on a very busy street with cars flying by. This was not a safe area. When I called the dealership I asked point blank if the brakes was the reason I was unable to see the truck for the days I was waiting to purchase it and he said yes. The car was towed to a close by chevy dealership. (sandy sansing Chevrolet) and my husband drove me back to preston hood ( the selling dealership) and explained that I would never feel safe in that truck again as the incident scared me more than anything I can remember. I wanted my trade in back and the deal reversed primarily because they lied to me about why the truck was in the service department. I would have never considered purchasing a vehicle with brake issues. I asked for the prior service records and they had already changed the master cylinder and other items. The next day after many phone calls they finally gave me my trade back. I am not reporting for any personal gain, only to help keep someone else from getting killed by this obvious known issue with this truck.

This truck was purchased may 2025 and currently has 2600 miles. Without any warning the brake light and abs warning lights came on along with messages reading brake assist,esc, and trailer brake require service. I took my truck in to a Chevrolet dealer on Aug 18, 2025 for inspection of issue. I was informed the master cylinder has failed and because this was a “safety” issue I could not take drive my truck and they would not allow me to remove the vehicle from their lot. I understand there has been many people with this same issue. Why has a recall not been issued? why is Chevrolet still selling these trucks? this needs to be addressed ASAP to save lives.

The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that while driving on a service road at 35 mph and attempting to bring the vehicle to a stop, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the brake pedal was extremely firm, requiring excessive force to depress for the vehicle to come to a stop. The contact stated that there was an abnormal amount of white smoke coming from the front end of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over and had the vehicle towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the vacuum pump was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 141,540.

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From auto stop when engine turns back on it jerks me forward.

Started the vehicle and 4 dash lights were on. The abs light, the forward collision system light, the brake light, and the traction control light. The vehicle was taken to a dealership and we have been notified by the dealer that it is a master brake cylinder failure. The part is on national backorder with no eta. Luckily, it did not fail while driving, but could've been tragic. This vehicle is brand new and belongs to my 16 year old. This is a known issue on the Colorado, traverse, and possibly other models. However, I have yet to find a recall or TSB. Brake cylinders are failing in brand new vehicles and gm needs to address it.

The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer for a routine oil change and after the vehicle was serviced, the contact was provided a multi-point vehicle inspection sheet which showed that the brake pads had received a green check mark and that the brake pads were 7-millimeters or greater on both the driver’s and passenger’s side. The next day upon start of the vehicle, the contact stated that a message "new brake pads detected" question was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact selected the "no" option followed by another question to service the brake pads. The contact then stated that a "service brake pad monitoring system" message appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the dealer was informed of the messages. A mechanic inspected the vehicle and informed the contact that both the brake pads and rotors needed to be replaced. The contact was also informed that the brake pads were 2 millimeters or less, despite the contact receiving information the day prior which stated otherwise. The contact questioned the dealer about the discrepancy and was informed that the computer provided the results for the multi-point vehicle inspection. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 27,000.

I have been having intermittent issues with a warning on dash says service safety retrain system vehicle will shut off on its own doesn't want to restart vehicle was taken to dealership for a TSB as well as the shutoff issue they had the truck 28 days said they diagnosed the truck could not duplicate my concerns I also explained the issue with display going out flickering brake lights etc, intermittent issue with btakes being hard then extremely soft, I even showed video that they can clearly hear me talking on they did not care. When I picked the truck up from dealership the mileage in was same as mileage out as noted on the paperwork and matches pictures I took they never drove the truck. On Wednesday June 4, 2025 while driving home I ended up running a stop sign and barely missing a car because truck shut off causing my brakes to not respond I was able to get it to stop just in time it was witnessed by a local law enforcement agency I showed the officer my truck would not start and pedal was unresponsive was told it had to be towed had a friend tow to my house. On Saturday June 14, 2025 while on my way to northern duchess hospital the warning came on the display and vehicle shut off I was able to get it off the road could not start it had to call for someone to drive me to the hospital upon release at 5am I had to call my brother to pick me up we got truck to start after 20 mins while driving it he informed me I had no brake lights turn signals or headlight the display was black no speedometer nothing had to call friend to tow again once at my house he started checking fuses found 4 melted fuses one was ecm the others were body control module and something else this truck has 7300 miles on it the problems are getting worse last time at dealership service manager stated he wasn't wasting more than 20 minutes on diagnosing anything. Other issues are windows going down on there own climate controls coming on by itself and air coming in by top of windshield.

Vehicle shaking very badly when braking. Then “service brake monitor” message displays. Took it to a chevy dealership who said my rotors were warped. Turns out many people are complaining about it on reddit. I purchased vehicle with less than 20k miles on it and it was a chevy certified used vehicle. I don’t feel safe driving it and chevy will not foot the bill. This could potentially be dangerous for other drivers and my guess is the parts are defective or something other than “driving conditions” are at play. This should not be happening!.

Chevrolet Colorado slows down for no reason.

The right front brake caliper failed with 15747 miles. Local dealer made repairs and said the caliper was not the cause. Their cause was blaming a brake controller used in towing the vehicle. If the controller had caused the failure more than one wheel would of been effected. The three remaining wheels all showed fine and had over 7mm of brake lining remaining. The wheel effected had zero pad remaining. I have replaced parts in my possession for evidence.

-what component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? 2016 Chevrolet Colorado VIN: [xxx] engine: 2. 5l i4 (camshaft-driven brake system assist vacuum pump failure). Gm technical service bulletin 21-na-268 (Nov 2021) confirms that if vacuum pump drive lugs are broken, replacement of both the vacuum pump and the exhaust camshaft is required which was the case. Parts kept by repair facility that performed service. Autonation Chevrolet south clearwater FL 33764. -how was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? may, 2025 the vehicle experienced a sudden loss of braking (hard/stiff brake pedal). This is a safety-critical failure. -has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center?yes by shop stated above. Diagnosis showed a seized engine brake system vacuum pump (driven by the exhaust camshaft) that had sheared drive lugs and produced metal debris which damaged the exhaust camshaft and associated components. The repair required replacement of the vacuum pump and the exhaust camshaft; my total repair cost was over $4,000. The camshaft was not readily available and I required a rental car for over 30 days while waiting for parts. -has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? system and parts inspected by shop above. Gm special coverage n182202780 (Apr 2019) addresses vacuum-pump related decreased brake assist for certain 2014–2017 gm trucks/suvs, but Colorado is not listed in that bulletin’s model list. -were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? check engine came on at time of brake loss (brake vacuum pump failure). Immediate system failure. I request NHTSA send me a copy of any investigation number or record created for this complaint, and I request guidance on whether I may be eligible for reimbursement under any gm program. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of informatio.

When battery was beginning to get old/need replacement but vehicle would still start: 1. The power steering assist stopped working intermittently (virtually impossible to steer even at speed) 2. Power brake stopped working intermittently (very hard to get vehicle to stop) unsafe for me, would have been very unsafe for certain without significant physical strength.

Brake pedal went to the floor when I applied the brakes, took truck to dealership. Dealership reported to me the master clylinder was defective and needed to order one from detroit.

Started the truck and got a brake system failure, service esc, service trailer brake system, traction control, forward colission, abs, check engine light and parking brake warning light flasing. Also the auto start feature works less than 10% of the time.

My husband and I were flat towing our vehicle on April 12, 2025. We had been traveling about 120 miles when the breaks on truck suddenly locked up, causing us to drag the vehicle for several feet before someone flagged us down and alerted us about what was happening. Our motor home is a 45' class a, with a 525 horse power engine. If this happens while towing, we may not know it was happening until something catastrophic happened. If it happened while driving we could be seriously injured.

We purchased a used 2024 chevy Colorado wt with a little over 4,500 miles on April 9th. A couple of days later before starting the vehicle the brake pedal would sink all the way down to the floor. This happened twice. So I made a service appointment with the chevy dealer on April 14th. I told the service advisor that the brake pedal sank to the floor twice before starting the vehicle. He said they would take a look at it. When I went to pick up my vehicle the next day, the service advisor said the technician could not duplicate the problem. That same day, the brake pedal sank to the floor before starting the vehicle. So I made another service appointment the following week on April 23rd. I have videos to prove that the brake pedal would sink all the way to the floor before starting the vehicle. The service advisor told me that that technician duplicated the problem and they will order parts for it. The vehicle has been at the dealer since then. The service brake issue is a safety hazard that needs to be addressed.

Driving on the highway speed limit 65-70 my truck started decelerating and breaks got hard and could not use break. Had to get home using emergency petal break and drive. My truck is only 2020 model for this type of problem. Want to see if I can get this fixed with the manufacture defect warranty. Took my truck to a chevy dealer and they are saying it can be a faulty vacuum pump.

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The vacuum pump brake booster on my chevy Colorado went out with no warning first the camshaft went out then once the cam shaft was fixed the brakes didnt work luckily I made it home but the risk was there as the brakes became incredibly stiff and hard to press with me using all my weight to stop the truck I had a mechanic look at it and confirm the pump/booster as the readings show it’s getting power and that it has air but the pump is not working there was no warning no lights no nothing one day it was working the next it wasn’t same with the camshaft both things happened with zero warning.

Abs check engine light came on after initially taking the vehicle in because of the brakes feeling weird and making noise. This similar issue has been experience by multiple users reported on a chevy Colorado group page on facebook to include 2 cases of individuals, one with a Colorado and another with a gnc canyon, both gm vehicles, that had their brakes fail while operating the vehicles. This was a concerning issue because, in my case, while I drove the vehicle, I was able to punch the brake pedal all the way to the floor while the vehicle was slowing down. The vehicle and part were inspected about 3 different times with the final time, and with video proof of an odd noise it was making, which then caused the dealership service department to actually check the brake pump which then they found to be faulty and needed replacing. This also took about a month and a half of wait time because the part was on backorder. I also spoke to Chevrolet directly where they did not seem to be aware nor cared at the fact I explained to them many owners experienced this same issue and did not acknowledge my concern for safety of the vehicle itself.

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact's husband stated while driving 20 mph, while attempting to turn into a parking lot and another vehicle was attempting to exit the same parking lot, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact's husband depressed the brake pedal, the brake pedal seized, and the contact had to veer and downshift to first gear to avoid crashing into the other vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with vacuum pump failure and a fractured part from the vacuum camshaft. The vehicle was not fully repaired. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired by the dealer because the vehicle was not under recall and parts were on back order, as per the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

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While driving in heavy and slow moving traffic at approximately 15 mph, the vehicle in front stopped. The forward collision and automatic emergency braking failed to activate. These safety features are not a replacement for active driving attention, but if they properly function and activate, they could have prevented the rear end collision that occurred.

Was driving approx 30 mph down road when alert/light flashing for crash detection. At the same the brakes slammed on causing the wheel to pull to the right and pulling the wheel from my hands. This sudden stop was abrupt enough to leave seatbelt mark on shoulder. There was no car in front or behind me in my lane of travel. There were no people on either side of the road walking. I have had the light go off a few times with the bell but no sudden braking until an update was run last night. Which according to the chevy recall was for ecm issue. Recall software update n242452130. I called the dealer , spoke the service manager mike and told him what happened. He tells me him and his wife bought a 2024 chevy equinox that did the exact same thing. Ok, how is that supposed to make me feel better? the braking was violent and if it happened in city traffic I have no question in my mind that would have been a [xxx] crash. Every single time there is an update push there is a problem. This has been the worst. After looking up the VIN does not show part of the original recall from your agency. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I purchaced a new 2024 chevy Colorado, the truck had 193 miles on the odometer when the brakes failed. When I stepped on the brake to put my truck into gear the pedal became spongy and brakes were severely diminished. I had to force the pedal to the floor to stop the truck at idle. I shut the truck off and restarted, it continued. I called the dealer, they sent a truck with trailer to take it back to the shop. They verified the condition and diagnosed the problem. I was told the ebc and master cylinder failed. The warning on the dash came on at the same time as I realized the brakes were not working.

I have had this truck for about 3 weeks and the first day I brought it home the parking brake was engaged upon starting the truck along with the collision light. It finally came off and drove the truck. Took it to the dealer they checked it and said it was fine per their assessment. Couple days later it happened again took back to dealer as the collision and parking brake light and brakes were stuck again, they again ran their computer diagnostic system no issues. Drove it for about 3 days and now it occurred again today, collision light and parking brake engaged. After about 15 minutes of trying to disengage the parking brake I shut the truck off, then one last time I started it back up and the brake disengaged. I then drove it back to the dealer today.

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost automotive power. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that on another occasion while driving 55 mph, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle was slower to stop than normal. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed and it was determined that the brake booster pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

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